Roseburg Resolves Air Quality Violations with Environmental Project

Helena - The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has settled its enforcement action against Roseburg Forest Products for violations of the Montana Air Quality Act at their particle board manufacturing facility in Missoula, Montana.

Roseburg agreed to pay a $130,925 penalty that was satisfied by the completion of a Supplemental Environmental Project costing the same amount as the penalty.

Instead of the cash penalty Roseburg will pay $130, 925 to the Missoula County Seeley Lake Wood Stove Change-Out Program. The Wood Stove Program helps residents buy and install new EPA-certified pellet and wood burning stoves to reduce air pollution that has a negative effect impact on public health.

In February of 2011, Roseburg submitted revised monitoring and performance reports to the DEQ that corrected the previous five years of reporting. The revised reports identified numerous permit violations that had not been previously reported as required.

The violations included improperly certifying the company was in compliance with numerous provisions in the company's air quality permit and with rules under the Maximum Achievable Control Technology Program. Roseburg also failed to inspect and calibrate equipment and complete startup, shutdown or malfunction checklists. Finally, the company filled gasoline tanks without vapor loss control equipment and stored sander dust outside.

For questions about the enforcement action, contact Larry Alheim at (406) 444-2411. For questions concerning air quality permitting, contact DEQ's Air Resources Management Bureau at (406) 444 3490 or visit the DEQ website at www.deq.mt.gov.